Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for May 2023

Edmonton Oilers Acquire; Sign Jayden Grubbe

at CDT | by 2 Comments

3:07 PM: Shortly thereafter, the Oilers announced that Grubbe has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the organization. The deal will run until the end of the 2025-26 NHL season. The contract will also carry an AAV of $925K in the NHL, and an AAV of $80K in the AHL.

12:04 PM: With tomorrow’s deadline approaching for many expiring draft rights, a few last-minute dealings may be made. The Edmonton Oilers have done just that, acquiring Jayden Grubbe from the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick. If not signed by tomorrow evening, Grubbe’s rights would no longer belong to the Oilers.

The fact that they made this trade suggests that an entry-level contract will soon follow, though it has not yet been announced. Grubbe, 20, was a third-round pick of the Rangers in 2021 but still hasn’t taken the jump to elite production in the junior level, despite his NHL size.

In 2021-22 he had just 14 goals and 35 points in 68 games, and while this year was better—18 goals and 67 points in 64 games—it may still not have been enough to make the Rangers interested in offering him a deal.

That, or perhaps the Alberta native didn’t see a future for himself in the Rangers organization. He’ll now get a chance to sign closer to home, and start his professional career with the Oilers minor league system.

Standing 6’3″, Grubbe has shown some flashes, but has a long way to go before making an impact at the NHL level. The fact that the Rangers landed a fifth-round pick for him is rather impressive, given how close they were to losing him for nothing.

From the Oilers perspective, this may have been their best chance at landing the young forward. Should Grubbe’s rights expire, he could re-enter the draft. If they were willing to spend a fifth (or higher) on him anyway, it makes sense to do the deal ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

Carolina Hurricanes To Explore Trade Market “Pretty Heavily”

at CDT | by 22 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes had a great year, ruined by “one bad week,” as head coach Rod Brind’Amour put it today. The club won 52 games, cruised through the first two rounds against the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils, dropping just three games, and seemed poised to compete for the Stanley Cup. Four straight losses to the Florida Panthers turned the good vibes into a concerning tone, and will force them to reconsider what comes next.

Today, speaking with Brind’Amour at the season-ending press conference, general manager Don Waddell explained that the Hurricanes will explore the trade market “pretty heavily” before free agency opens a month from now.

That’s nothing new for the veteran GM.

Since taking over the day-to-day operations in 2018, the list of players Waddell has acquired through trade is extensive—and impressive. Dougie Hamilton, Jordan Martinook, Nino Niederreiter, Erik Haula, James Reimer, Joel Edmundson, Vincent Trocheck, Sami Vatanen, Brady Skjei, Max Domi, Brent Burns, Max Pacioretty, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Shayne Gostisbehere have all been brought in.

They even took a shot at trying to sign Adam Fox, though he would eventually spurn them as well, waiting to get to his preferred New York destination.

While not every member of that group has been successful in Carolina, it’s a testament to the creativity and courage that Waddell has when discussing trades. It also reflects how well their scouting and development system has worked over the years, churning out assets to swap while continuing to produce NHL-quality talent for the roster.

Pacioretty, for instance, was a home run cut that whiffed this year. He was acquired for nothing, as the Vegas Golden Knights needed to clear cap space, and had the potential to be a high-end goal scorer for the club. But two Achilles injuries would limit him to just five games (and three goals).

Waddell admitted today that there is interest in re-signing the pending UFA, but the team has to “make sure [they] don’t get caught counting on something that isn’t there.” It’s unclear when Pacioretty will be ready to play hockey and what kind of impact he can make if he returns.

With significant cap space to use but considerable gaps in the current roster, it should be a wildly entertaining offseason from the Hurricanes. Given the team still carries nine picks in this year’s draft, including their first-rounder, there could be fireworks on the horizon.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Justin Robidas

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

If you watched the Quebec Remparts open the Memorial Cup against the Kamloops Blazers last Friday, you probably noticed an undersized QMJHL forward flying around the ice setting up his teammates with creative, deceptive passes.

That was Justin Robidas, who put up three assists in the blowout win, continuing a brilliant playoff performance. As the young forward waits to see who he’ll face in the tournament finale, he’s made another huge step in his career.

Robidas has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. General manager Don Waddell released the following statement:

Justin has produced offensively throughout his junior career, and he has played a key role for Quebec throughout the QMJHL playoffs and Memorial Cup this season. We are excited to watch his development progress at the next level.

The 20-year-old forward was picked 147th in 2021, scoring 78 points in 63 regular season games this year. Even better, he put up 27 in 18 postseason games, helping the Remparts take home the QMJHL title.

While his size, a diminutive 5’8″, will likely pose a challenge for him at the next level, Robidas has shown elite playmaking ability at the junior level. He’ll be ticketed for the AHL next season, where he’ll try to translate his game to the professional ranks.

If he does struggle, there’s certainly someone he can ask for advice. Robidas is the son of Stephane Robidas, a veteran of more than 900 games and currently an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens.

Nashville Predators Officially Hire Andrew Brunette

at CDT | by 8 Comments

May 31: The wait seems inconsequential, as Brunette has been officially announced as the Predators’ new head coach.

May 30: The Nashville Predators have confirmed at least part of their widely reported coaching change, officially announcing that head coach John Hynes has been relieved of his duties with one year remaining on his contract. The team also announced that assistant coach Dan Lambert, who also had a one-year tenure left on his deal, will not be returning.

Somewhat interestingly, the team did not confirm today’s earlier reports that New Jersey Devils assistant coach Andrew Brunette was set to take over as Hynes’ replacement. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun now expects the official announcement to come tomorrow morning.

Lambert worked with the Predators’ forward group and power-play units for four seasons from 2019 to 2023. During Lambert’s tenure, the team achieved a power-play success rate of 19.5 percent, including a franchise record of 24.4 percent in the 2021-22 season. Incoming general manager Barry Trotz commended Lambert as a quality power-play coach and thanked him for his contributions, particularly during a season marked by roster changes.

Trotz also released an official statement on Hynes, who was fired after recording the second-highest point percentage by a head coach in franchise history:

John Hynes is a good man and a good hockey coach. He did an outstanding job after the trade deadline with our team, especially with our young players, and he is a well-prepared, hard-working coach who will continue to grow in the NHL. After our year-end meetings and some additional evaluation, it was time to change the voice and time to go in a different direction. On behalf of all of us at the Predators, we’d like to thank John for all his work here and wish him and his family all the best moving forward.

Team president and CEO John Henry also released a statement, thanking Hynes and Lambert for their work during a difficult time off-ice for the team and the city of Nashville.

I’d like to thank John, Dan and their families for all they did for the Predators and our community. We appreciate all their work during their respective tenures with us, helping our team push through so many difficulties that hit us all in 2020 – from the tornadoes to the pandemic and the Christmas morning explosion, they always had our team ready to serve the community. John and Dan also guided us to three playoff appearances and additionally ensured our team represented Smashville well in the 2022 NHL Stadium Series and in Bern and Prague in the 2023 NHL Global Series. We will always be grateful for their contributions.

Toronto Maple Leafs Closing In On Brad Treliving

at CDT | by 14 Comments

Per a report from TSN’s Darren Dreger Tuesday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to name Brad Treliving their new general manager “in the very near future.”

Treliving fills the seat vacated by Kyle Dubas less than two weeks ago after the team informed him they wouldn’t be renewing his contract. The Calgary Flames mutually parted ways with Treliving, who was also on an expiring contract, last month.

Treliving certainly checks off the experience box that Leafs president Brendan Shanahan was looking for in his general manager hire. The 53-year-old had spent nearly a decade in his post with Calgary after joining the team ahead of the 2014-15 season.

He also brings the experience of working in a Canadian market, although simply nothing compares to the pressure-cooker market that is Toronto. Treliving has made a number of shrewd trades and signings throughout his time in Calgary, although he’s had some significant misses as well.

The impending arrival of Treliving as general manager comes at a critical time for the Maple Leafs, who are looking to keep the band together as they aim to claw deeper into the playoffs. Treliving’s immediate focus turns to the contract situations of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner, who are all slated for unrestricted free agency in the next two years.

Looking at Treliving’s history, this is where he may shine. While his parting gifts to Calgary came in the form of long-term deals for Jonathan Huberdeau, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri that are too young to be judged, his body of work regarding contracts for his star players is stellar. He signed defenseman Mark Giordano to a six-year, $6.75MM deal in 2015, Johnny Gaudreau to the same contract a season later, and Dougie Hamilton to a five-year, $5.75MM deal in 2015 as well. All of those contracts provided solid value to Calgary in one way or another.

This story will be updated further as more details emerge.

Latest On Auston Matthews

at CDT | by 14 Comments

The most looming factor of the next few months among Toronto Maple Leafs fans is undoubtedly the status of star center Auston Matthews, who becomes eligible to sign a contract extension with Toronto on July 1 and avoid hitting unrestricted free agency in 2024.

Following the departure of general manager Kyle Dubas earlier this month, speculation has arisen regarding the impact it may have on Matthews’ future with the organization. However, according to TSN’s Chris Johnston on today’s episode of Insider Trading, the discourse surrounding their relationship has been exaggerated, with lines of communication remaining open between the Leafs and Matthews’ camp regarding a potential extension.

“They’re not really making any progress at this point in time or having any firm discussions about a contract he can sign on July 1, but I don’t think introducing a new general manager at this point in time is gonna derail that,” Johnston said. While negotiations regarding a new contract have yet to gain any real momentum, Matthews’ desire to remain in Toronto aligns with the organization’s intentions, as previously reported.

It is anticipated that once a new general manager is appointed, talks will swiftly resume and progress toward securing Matthews’ future as a Leaf.

In regard to the timing of that appointment, TSN’s Darren Dreger also said that team president Brendan Shanahan could make an offer to Toronto’s desired candidate by the end of this week. With the draft quickly approaching, they’ll want to have their front office in place with enough time to prepare.

Entering the final year of his five-year, $11.64MM cap hit deal (which has a no-movement clause that kicks in July 1), Matthews has scored 188 goals and 149 assists in 269 regular-season games over the life of the contract.

Snapshots: Rangers, Lucic, Hrabal

at CDT | by 11 Comments

Mark 2023 down as a formative offseason for the New York Rangers, who are looking to stamp out any doubts next season after a disappointing First Round exit against the New Jersey Devils. While they’re already looking for a new head coach after firing Gerard Gallant, general manager Chris Drury has some offseason player personnel decisions to make, too, after going all in at this year’s trade deadline.

In his latest column for The Athletic, Arthur Staple listed forwards Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko, as well as defenseman Niko Mikkola, as the least likely returnees to the Rangers roster in 2023-24. All pending unrestricted free agents, they’ll likely be too rich for the Rangers’ blood, at least in terms of what they’ll offer to the team over the life of their next contracts.

As Staple concurs, Kane’s health is an obvious question mark moving forward, and Mikkola’s cap hit on his next deal will price the Rangers out of what they can afford for a depth defenseman, especially when offensive acumen from the blueline is an area of need on the third pair. Tarasenko is likely a pure cap casualty, with a strong showing down the stretch boosting his value on the open market.

  • Speaking with CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal, pending Calgary Flames unrestricted free agent Milan Lucic hinted at a potential return to his hometown of Vancouver this offseason. While Calgary hasn’t given any indication of whether they’d like to retain Lucic, the veteran forward likely wouldn’t say no if the Canucks came calling after July 1. Lucic will be 35 by the time next season starts and had just seven goals and 19 points in 77 games with Calgary last season.
  • Czech goaltender Michael Hrabal, one of the best prospects available in net for the 2023 NHL Draft, has committed to the University of Massachusetts for the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-6 18-year-old posted a .920 save percentage in five appearances for Czechia at the World Juniors this year, also earning USHL All-Rookie Team honors with the Omaha Lancers (9-13-4, .908 SV%, 31 games played). Hrabal could hear his name called as early as the late first round.

Colorado Avalanche Extend Nate Clurman

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Colorado Avalanche got some offseason business out of the way today, re-signing pending restricted free agent defenseman Nate Clurman to a one-year contract extension. Per CapFriendly, the deal pays Clurman $775,000 at the NHL level and $100,000 at the AHL level.

Clurman, 25, is one of the few hometown players in the organization, hailing from Boulder, Colorado. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Clurman’s strength and transitional game are the hallmarks of his style, which he’s spent the past few seasons honing within the minor ranks of the Avalanche organization.

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft directly out of high school, Clurman is one of the rare prospects to have high school hockey on his résumé after being drafted into the league. He played the 2016-17 campaign with the Culver Military Academy prep program before transferring to junior hockey the following year, splitting the season between three USHL teams.

Clurman then made the jump to college play, logging three seasons at the University of Notre Dame before turning pro and signing with the Avs. In his junior year, he served as the program’s captain and scored four goals after not lighting the lamp once throughout his first and second seasons.

His offense has actually taken a sizable jump since turning pro, as extended time with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies in 2021-22 did him well. It prepped him for a solid 2022-23 season, where he played in 57 regular-season games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, registering 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) and a +11 rating.

A full-time NHL career is likely out of the cards for Clurman at this point, given his age, but another improved season in the minors could warrant another extension next offseason and potential NHL call-ups if injuries strike.

John Hayden Clears Waivers; Assigned To AHL

at CDT | by 4 Comments

May 30: Hayden has cleared waivers and can join Coachella for their series, which continues on Thursday. The team has now officially assigned him to the AHL.

May 29: In a move with very unusual timing, the Seattle Kraken have placed forward John Hayden on waivers, per CapFriendly, likely to assign him to their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The Firebirds are alive and well in their pursuit of the Calder Cup, up 2-0 in their Western Conference Final series against the Milwaukee Admirals. Hayden, who had 33 points in 47 games with them this season, needs waivers to return for the remainder of their playoff run.

The timing remains mysterious, as Hayden had remained on Seattle’s active roster after their postseason ended days ago. Seattle placed Jesper Frödén on waivers earlier in the month to return him to Coachella Valley after their elimination, but Hayden has remained on the Kraken roster, not able to play in the minors.

The 28-year-old grinding winger is a pending unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year deal in free agency with the Kraken last offseason. He played seven NHL games this season, scoring twice.

Coaching Notes: Gallant, Laviolette, Carbery

at CDT | by 1 Comment

The offseason coaching carousel continues, with Andrew Brunette taking over for the Nashville Predators today. That puts another experienced head coach on the market in John Hynes, adding to a long list of candidates for any vacancies.

Here’s a rundown of notes from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, on upcoming (and past) interviews:

  • The Calgary Flames have contacted former New York Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant, who will be part of an extensive interview process as they look to replace the outgoing Darryl Sutter. Gallant has had great success in all his head coaching roles but has never made it through a third season with the same team.
  • The Rangers are expected to meet with Peter Laviolette again today as they look to replace Gallant. Hynes has also been linked to the New York job, suggesting they’ll go with another experienced name after parting ways with Gallant earlier this month.
  • Laviolette’s replacement with the Washington Capitals, Spencer Carbery, also interviewed with the Predators, according to LeBrun. As shown by the hiring of Brunette, Nashville was clearly willing to go with less experience; Carbery will be getting his first NHL head coaching opportunity in Washington.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top